Packaging machinery



MlICh 2, \948.- J, K 2,437,198

PACKAGING MACHINERY Filed July 8, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

ATTORNEYS March 2, 1948. J, A, KAY 2,437,198

PACKAGING MACHINERY INVENTOR ORNEYS I This invention relates in in the singular, are intended to Patented Mar. 2, 194a warn-:1) STATES P'ATEN "was 1, n,

H v2,437,198 T. OFFl CE' nonsense moment Arthur Kay,-i'i'lainalioroughr England-av signer to Rose Brothers (Gainsborough) 'Lim England, a British com- Y lied, Gainsborough,

Application July 8, 1940, Serial No. 544,050

In Grcat Britain March 21,1943

tend-over; the gap between. the inside flaps free of glue so as to prevent those portions frombeing stuck to the contents of the container. I

An object ofthe invention-is to provide an apparatus of this type in which the length of :the glued and unglued portions of the outside flaps is determined automatically. by the containers themselves during their passage through the ap- According to the invention, therefore-there is provided an apparatus of the above type, wherein the glue-applying roller is adapted tobe brought into gluing engagement with the-outside flaps of the.. container-through theaction of a' feeler member arranged'to be'moved into operative position by engagement with the inside flaps of the container during its passage through the. apparatus and maintained in that position :duringv continuance of such engagement. -By these means, therefore, the length of the portions oi the outside flaps on -which glue isappliedvis 'de- 9 Claims. (Cl. 91-50) lue bath, which-becomes energised or de-ener- I gised as the case ma be. upon operation 01' the micro switch. It will be understood that. when the inside flaps. at thetop and bottom of the container are of equal length, the sameieeler member and micro switch can operate both the upper and lowergluing devices. by suitable con- I nections betweenthe two gluing devicesand the micro switch, and-that when the upper and lower inside flaps are or different length the upper and lower gluing devices will require their own feeler members and switches, v

In the case or the lower flaps, it may be that in certain circumstances, for instance, when a container. is filled with relatively small packages, the ieeler may be prevented from springing into the gap betweenthe inside new by reason of the contents. of the container having sagged between theflaps onto the container-supporting plate with the result that the glue-applying roller would remain in gluing position. In order to avoid this difliculty, a detector member may be provided, according to a further feature of the invention, and this may also be pivoted, and provided with a contact arm arranged to engage a second micro switch. Thedetector member may be spring-.urged in such a manner that its contact armis normally inengagement with the second'micro switch and'its detector is Just below the plane 01' movement orthe inside flaps, a channelof substantial width,i. e. wide enough to allow any sagging contents to drop below the termined by the length of theinside flaps-while I thelength of the portions on. which no glue is applied is determined by the length of thevgap between'the inside flaps. 4

In this type of apparatus,itisusual toarrange the upper and lower gluing devices in pairs; one of each pair being disposed-on each side or -the apparatus, and .it will be understood that the term glue-applying roller" and other .terms appertainingto the gluing devices, when used hereinclude such an arrangements l 1 The ieeler member may be-in the form of a two-armed lever one arm oifwhichiconstitutes a feeler and the other a contactyarm arranged to operateamlcroswitch, the feeler-member being pivoted andspring-urged in such a manner that the ieeler projects into the path of. the travelling containers sov that upon eng ement by the leading edge 01' the containertheieeler member is caused to pivot so that the contact arm operates the micro switch and causes the "glueapplyingroller to bemoved into sucha positioiifthat it applies glue to the outside flaps which have been previously ploughed outwardly. 'Ihe glue-applying. roller is conveniently mounted i in. a pivoted glue bath which is arrangedto be! 5 pivoted by a solenoid, s uitablyconnected to the level or the container-supporting plate so as to engage the detector, being formed in the container-supporting plate;

By way-oi example, the invention will now be described in greater detail, with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of part of a machine for closing and sealin or like material, I I I v Figures 2 and 3 are an elevation and plan, respectively, of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure l, drawn to a somewhat larger scale,

and t Flgures4 and 5 are anelevation and plan, re-

. spectively, of another portion of the apparatus shown in Figure-'1 larger scale,

The machine is of the same general type as that described in Patent No. 2,370,583, mentioned also drawnto' a somewhat above, although only the portion of the machine construction and whole.

withwhich the present invention is concerned is shown, reference being made to. the above-men'- tioned specification for further details of the operation of the machine as a Referring .to 1, containers l are fed through the apparatus by means 01! pusher bars I! carrled'by s pairoi driven chains l3. Prior g containers of flbreboard to reaching the position shown inFigure 1, the containers II have passed through folding devices for folding inwardly the inside flaps of the containers and for folding outwardly the outside flaps so that they lie in horizontal planes. After passing auxiliary gluing devices, generally indicated by reference numerals I4 and I6, the purpose of which is described below, the containers reach the main upper and lower gluing devices, generally indicated by reference numerals 22 and 23, which apply a film of glue to the inside surfaces of the outside flaps of the containers; and during their further passage through the machine their outside flaps are ploughed over into closed position,

The gluing devices 22 and 23 are arranged in pairs, one of each pair on each side of the machine, and the pairs are substantially identical in construction.

The upper gluing devices 22 are each carried by a bracket 23 slidably mounted on a pair of shafts 21 carried by a pair of brackets 28, and their lateral adjustment is brought about by means of a rotatable screwed shaft 29 mounted in the brackets 23 and engaging the bracket 26, the screwed shaft 23 being driven by chain and sprocket gearing 3I from a similar screwed shaft 32 which, in turn, is driven through suitable gearing from a driving motor (not shown). The brackets 23 are siidably mounted on a pair of pillars 34 and are vertically adjustable by means of screws 36 which are driven through suitable gearing from a driving motor (not shown).

The lower gluing devices 23 are arranged for lateral adjustment in a similar manner to the gluing devices 22, the gluing devices generally being slidably mounted on a guiding shaft I02 secured. to the main'framework 14 of the machine, the lateral movement being brought about by a screwed shaft I03 driven, like the screwed shafts 23 and 32, through suitable gearing from the same motor (not shown), the screwed shaft I03 engaging frames I06 of the gluing devices. The gluing devices 22 and 23 are substantially identical in construction with the gluing devices described in Patent No. 2,370,583, except for the mechanism for moving them into and out of glue-applying positions, and it will not be necestherefore, to describe herein more than whatever salient features are necessary for a full understanding of the present invention.

- In the case of the lower gluing devices 23 they are each carried on a frame I03 (see particularly Figures 2 and 3) which supports a glue bath I03 in which is mounted the glue-applying roller I04, the frame I03 being pivotally mounted on the guide shaft I02.

The movement of the glue-applying roller I04 into and out of glue-applying position is brought about by a toggle linkage consisting of a pair of articulated links I30 and I3I, the link I30 being pivotally attached at I32 to the frame I03 and the I3I being pivotaliy attached at I33 to the frame I05. The links I30-and I3I are connected by a pivoted link I34 to a solenoid I36 mounted on theframe I03 by means of a bracket I31. The operation of the solenoid I36 is controlled by micro switches I33 and I33 as described below.

The gluing device 23 is arranged so that the glue-applying roller I04, when in its inoperative position, lies Just below the level of a.containersupporting plate I along which the containers are fed through the machine. Pivotally mounted at I35 in a bracket I42 attached to the supporting plate MI is a feeler member in the form of a two-armed lever one arm I43 of which constitutes a feeler and the other arm I44 a contact arm arranged to operate the micro switch I39, the latter being mounted on the bracket I42. The feeler I43 is arranged to protrude slightly through a slot I46 in the supporting plate I4I so that its tip lies in the path of the base of each container as it passes through the machine. Pivotally mounted at, I41 in a further bracket I43 attached to the supporting plate III and carrying the micro switch I33 is a detector member in the form of a two-armed lever one arm I43 of which constitutes a detector and the other arm I3I a contact arm arranged to operate the micro switch I33. The detector I43 protrudes slightly through the slot I43 and is arranged so that its tip lies lust below the level of the sup porting plate I in a recess I62 formed in-the supporting plate I4I for a purpose which will become apparent from later description. The detector member and the feeler member are spring-urged towards the base of the container by means of springs I63 and I34, respectively, attached to extensions I33 and I51 of'the brackets I43 and I42 respectively.

In the case of the upper gluing devices 22, the

, glue bath 43 is supported on a pair of platforms 46 depending from the bracket 26 and houses a gluing roller 42 mounted on a rotatable shaft 4I having its bearings formed in extensions from the bracket .23. The glue-applying roller 63 is carried in a pair of frames 43 pivotally mounted on the shaft H and carrying a transfer roller 32 arranged to feed the glue-applying roller 33 from the glue roller 42.

As in the case of the lower gluing devices, movement of the glue-applying roller 63 into and out of glue-applying position is controlled by a toggle linkage consisting of a. pair of links I6I and I32 and a pivoted link I63 connecting the links I3I and I62 with a solenoid I34 which is connected in the circuit of the micro switches I33 and I33. The link I6I is pivoted at I66 on one of the frames 48 while the link I62 is pivoted at I61 in a bearing depending from one of the platforms 46. A spring I63, attached at one end to the link I63 and at the other end to a bracket I33 depending from the adjacent frame 43, is arranged to return the glue-applying roller 63 to the inoperative position when the solenoid I64 is de-energised.

As mentioned above, the upper and lower gluing devices are arranged in pairs to accommodate the outside flaps on each side ofthe containers and at the top and bottom of the containers, and it will be understood that the feeler I43 and the detector I43 with their respective micro switches I36 and I33 control the four gluing devices in synchronism.

The auxiliary gluing devices I4 and I6, mentioned above, are for providing a ribbon of gum on the outside only of the outside flaps and only operate in the case of containers in which the outside flaps overlap. These auxiliary gluing devices are the subject of United States patent application Serial No. 544,049, filed July 8, 1944 and form no part of the present invention. It is not I deemed necessary, therefore, to go into further ass-mos is depressed about the pivot I33 and causes the contact arm I44 to operate the micro switch I so P which, in turn, energises the solenoids I38 and I84 and causes the glue-applying rollers I04 and 53 to be moved into glue-applying position by the toggle linkages I30, I3I, I34, and IOI, I02, I03, respectively. It will be understood that the glueapplying rollers I04 and 53 are moved into glueapplying position substantially instantaneously upon depression of the feeler I43 by the container so that the rollers commence to apply glue to the outside flaps of the container almost as soon as the leading edge of the container depresses the feeler I43. It will be seen that the position on the flaps where the glue is first applied bythe glue-applying rollers depends on the position of those rollers relative to that of the container (considered in the direction of travel of the container) when it strikes the feeler I43, and that such relative position can be adjusted to suit any particular requirements.

As the container is advanced along the supportin plate I4I the feeler I43 is maintained in its depressed position and the glue-applying rollers I04 and 53 in their glue-applying positions until the tip, of the feeler I43 snaps of! the trailing positions. notwithstanding that the 'feeler I43 is still depressed by the sagging contents.

The above description has been confined to the case where the upper and lower flaps of the containers are identical in construction. In other cases. the pper and lower gluing devices may be operated independently by the provision of a furoutside flaps folded outwardly preparatory to the edge of the leading inside flap 01 the container,

under the influence of the spring I54, into the gap between the front and rear inside flaps, whereupon the solenoids I and I84 are de-energised and the glue-applying rollers I04 and 53 returned'to their inoperative positions. At this stage, no glue is being applied to the outside flaps which thus remain unglued for a distance equal to the gap between the inside flaps, and when the forward edge of the rear inside flap strikes the feeler I43, the sequence of operations described above is repeated and glue is once again applied to the outsideflaps until the tip of the feeler I43 snaps off the end of the container.

The length of the glued portion of the outside flaps is thus determined automatically" by the length of the inside flaps while the length of the unglued portion is determined automatically by the length of'the gap between the inside flaps. The invention is thus particularly useful when containers having dliferent inside flap lengths are passed through the apparatus successively. In the case of containers in which the inside flaps abut, and there is thus no gap into which the feeler I43 can move during the passage of the container over the feeler, it will be seen that the feeler is operative during the passage of the entire length of the container and thus causes the glue-applying rollers to apply glue over the .whole length of the outside flaps.

In the description, it has been assumed that the contents of the containers are such that therecorresponding to the gap between the inside fiaps.

Any contents sagging below the level of the supporting plate MI into the recess I52, however,

strike the detector I49, thus causing the contactarm I-5I to pivot and disconnect the micro switch I38 which breaks the circuit and de-energizes the solenoids I36 and I64 and thus causes the glueapplying rollers to move into their inoperative application of glue thereto, a glue-applying roller, operating means for moving-the glue-applying roller into gluing engagement with the outside flaps of the containers during their passage through the apparatus, and a feeler member movably mounted in the apparatus with its feeler projecting into the path followed by the folded inside flaps of the containers so as to be engaged thereby and moved into an operative position duringthe passage of the containers through the apparatus and maintained in that position during continuance of such engagement, and means inter-connecting the operating means and the feeler member and responsive to said movement of the feeler member-for causing operation of said operating means.

.2. Packaging apparatus of the type described,

comprising means for feeding a succession of containers through the apparatus with their inside flaps folded into closed position and their outside flaps folded outwardly preparatory to the application of glue thereto, a glue-applying roller, electrically operated means including a micro switch for moving the glue-applying roller into gluing engagement withthe outside flaps of the containers during their passage through the apparatus, and a feeler member pivotally mounted in the apparatus with its feeler projecting into the path followed by the folded inside flaps of the containers so as to be engaged thereby and moved into an operative position during the passage of the containers through the apparatus and maintained in that position during continuance of such engagement, and a contact arm on said feeler member arranged to operate said micro switch upon pivotal movement of said feeler :member so as to cause operation of said operating means. r

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the electrically operated means includes-a solenoid under' the control of said micro switchJ-fw 4. Packaging apparatus of the type described, comprising means for" feeding a succession of containers through the apparatus with their" inside flaps folded into closed position and their outside flaps folded outwardly preparatory tothe application of glue thereto,'a glue-applying roller, operating means for moving the glue-applying roller into-gluing engagement with the outside flaps of the containers during their passage through the apparatus, a feeler member pivotally mounted in the apparatus with its feeler projecting into the path followed-by the folded inside flaps of the containers so as to be engaged thereby and moved into an operative position during the passage of the containers through the apparatus and maintained in that position during continuance of such engagement, a contact arm Memos to operate said micro,

., passage through the apparatus and maintained plate being formed with an opening in its supporting surface arranged to receive any contents ofthe container that may sag from any gap between the inside flaps thereof. a detector member movably mounted in the apparatus with its detector arranged in said opening at or slightly below the level of the container-supporting plate so as to detect any such sagging contents and means responsive to the movement-o1 said detector member upon such detection for renderfing said operating means inoperative notwithstanding that said ieeier member may still be inits operative position.

8. Packaging apparatus of the type described,

" comprising means for feeding a succession of containers through the apparatus with their in-' side flaps folded into closed position and their outside flaps folded outwardly preparatory to the application of glue thereto, a glue-applying roller,

electrically operated means including a micro switch for moving the glue-applying roller into' gluing engagement with the outside flaps oi the containers during their e through the apmtuso with a recess in any contents sa ging from the containers may a container-supporting plate formed its supporting surface into which pass, a feeler member piyotally mounted in the apparatus with its feeler projecting through said recess in said plate, into the path followed by the folded inside flaps of the containers so as to be,

engaged thereby and moved into an operative position during the passage of the containers through the apparatus and maintained in that position during continuance ,of such engagement, a contact arm formed on said feeler member and arranged to operate said micro switch upon pivotal movement of said feeler member into operative position, a detector member movably mounted on said platewith its detector projecting through saidplate into said recess into a p sition Just below the level of said supporting surface so as to detect and be moved into operative position by any contents sagging into said recess, and means responsive to such detecting movement of said detector member for rendering said operating means inoperative notwithstanding that said feeler member may still be in its operative position.

7. Packaging apparatus of the type described, comprising means for feeding a succession of containers through the apparatus with their inside flaps folded into closed position and their outside flaps folded outwardly preparatory to the application of glue thereto, a glue-applying roller, electrically operated means for moving the glue- I applying roller into gluing engagement with the in that position during continuance of such engagement, a contact arm on said teeler member. a solenoid operatively connected to said operating means, a. micro switch controlling the movement of said solenoid, movement of said feeler into operative position causing said contact arm to operate said micro switch thus causing said solenoid to operate saidoperating means, a. detector member movably mounted on said plate with its detector projecting through said plate into said recess into a position just below the level of said supporting surfaceso as to detect and be moved into operative position by a y contents sagging into said recess, and means responsive to the detecting movement of said detector member for rendering said operating means inoperative notwithstanding that said feeler mem-- ber may still be in its operative position.

8. Packaging apparatus of the type described, comprising means for feeding a succession of containers through the apparatus with their inside flaps folded into closed position and their outside flaps folded outwardly preparatory to the application of glue thereto, a glue-applying roller, electrically operated means for moving the glueapplying roller into gluing engagement with the outside flaps of the containers during their passage through the apparatus, a container-supporting plate formed with a recess in its supportingsurface into which any contents sagging from the containers may pass, a feeler member pivotally mounted in the apparatus with its feeler projecting through said recess in said plate, into the path followed by the folded inside flaps of the containers so as to be engaged thereby and moved into an operative position during the passage oi. the containers through the apparatus and maintained in that position during continuance of such engagement, 9. contact arm formed on said feeler member, a first micro switch controlling the operation of said operating means, pivotal movement of said feeler member into operative position causing said contact arm to operate said first micro switch, a. detector member pivotaily mounted on said plate with its detector projecting through said plate into said recess into a position just below the level of said supporting surface so as to detect any contents sagging into said recess, a second micro switch wired in the circuit of said first micro switch, and a contact arm formed on said detector member and arranged upon detectin movement of said detector member to operate said micro switch and by such operation break said circuit thus rendering inoperative said operating means notwithstanding that said feeler member may still be in its operative position.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, comprising a solenoid operatively connected to said glueapplying roller, operation of said solenoid being controlled by said first and second micro switches.

. JAMES ARTHUR KAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES earnu'rs 

